


The Castle and the Queen

by Vim_Refresh



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Gen, Taking Independence, minor Minutemen spoilers, referenced violence against fictitious invertebrates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-26
Updated: 2016-07-26
Packaged: 2018-07-26 23:25:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7594498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vim_Refresh/pseuds/Vim_Refresh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Extremely mild spoilers for the quest Taking Independence.<br/>The Sole Survivor brings more companions than necessary to take the castle. Then they hang out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Castle and the Queen

**Author's Note:**

> Several of the lines are taken from the game, including Danse’s joke at the beginning. I’ve only gotten it to play if I retake the castle with him before Preston asks me too. I love it, and so I wrote this.  
> This is one of the first things I’ve written in forever, so sorry if it sucks.

    “These mirelurks obviously have no respect for the historical significance of this location,” said Danse, in the most deadpan voice imaginable.  
  
    “Holy shit, did the Tin Man make a joke? Hancock asked. “Guys, the Tin Man just made a joke! It truly is a historic day.”  
  
    “Good thing I invited the press,” said Ruby with mock seriousness. The press was Piper.  
  
    Preston had advised Ruby to retake “The Castle,” what the Minutemen called Fort Independence. It had a radio station that would prove useful if they could restore it to working order. Valentine had told her the people of the Commonwealth had lost a lot of confidence in the Minutemen when they lost the Castle. Ruby had been excited about the moral boost retaking it would provide, but now she was a little disappointed. Preston said the old stories told of a monster emerging from the sea to destroy the fort. If the monster was just some mirelurks, it wouldn’t make a very inspiring tale.  
  
    They’d just arrived, but she was pretty sure she’d over prepared. Her party was bigger than the group of Minutemen Preston had gathered. She’d dragged along Valentine, Piper, Hancock, and Danse. She’d even brought Codsworth because LIKE HELL she was cleaning a Fort. She was a general, not a maid.  
  
    “So, what do you think General?” Preston asked.  
  
    “Well, For 600 years old, it's in pretty good shape.”  
  
    “A little glue, some duct tape, we could fix this place right up,” added Hancock.  
  
    “So, tell me about the layout, please,” said Ruby.  
  
    Preston began to describe what they knew of the layout, and Ruby sketched it. The rest of the Minutemen chimed in with possible attack plans. They were clearly excited. Piper took notes on the proceedings.  
  
    “Alright,” Ruby eventually said. “Remember the suggestion to draw them into a firing line? Let’s go with a modified version of that. I will be filling the role of bait.”  
  
    “There's no reason to take unnecessary risks like that, soldier,” said Danse in a stern tone.

    Codsworth agreed worriedly. “Yes, mum. I'm not sure that's the safest  
course of action... for your well-being, of course.”  
  
    “Don’t worry guys; I said modified. I’ll lure the mirelurks through this gap in the wall,” Ruby said while pointing to her map. “We’re going to have two firing lines, here and here. I’m angling them like this to minimize the risk of friendly fire. Oh, and I’ll make a flag. The firing lines are to keep their shots beyond the flag, for the same reason. Seriously, any friendly fire incidents and I will be very disappointed in you.”  
  
    Ruby started adding x marks on her map, right along the wall gap. “I’m going to use a stealth boy to set up a minefield. Then I shoot at nearby lurks and run back here, to my waiting power armour.” She pointed to an area towards the bottom of her map. “The lurks should follow. Any that make it past the mines and firing line will be mopped up by Danse, Hancock, and myself. We’ll all be in power armour. Everyone not in power armour should retreat if the seafood gets too close. As long as we don’t take casualties, we can attack as many times as we need to.”  
  
    “What should I do, mum?” Codsworth asked.  
  
    “You have the most important task of all. You must stay back here and defend: Hancock’s hat!” Ruby swiped said hat off the mayor’s head and placed it onto Codsworth. “Also, all our supplies, but mostly the hat.”  
  
    Ruby cleared her throat and spoke seriously again. “Preston, please organize the firing lines while I set up the mines.”  
  
…  
  
    Apparently there was a sea monster after all. Everything had gone according to plan until a mirelurk queen attacked. Fortunately, it went down pretty quickly, and there were no injuries that couldn‘t be healed with a stimpack. After all, it was a big target. Ruby was planning on mounting one of it’s legs on the castle wall.  
  
    They gave up on cleaning when it grew dark. Nick even managed to convince Codsworth to come and socialize. Ruby chatted with everyone until Piper dragged her off for an interview.  
  
    “Hope this story moves some papers,” Piper said as she tucked away her notepad.  
  
    “I hope so too. Wait, it’ll be flattering, right?”  
  
    Piper punched Ruby’s arm playfully.  
  
    “Oh, I was thinking you could interview Preston too. He knows the Minutemen’s history way better than I do.” This wasn’t Ruby’s only reason. She hoped talking about the victory would help cheer Preston up. The man had been through a lot.  
  
    “Huh,” Piper said thoughtfully. That’s actually a pretty good idea. He was there at Quincy, so that’s a unique perspective. Seen the Minutemen’s great loss and now a great triumph. Think he’d talk now? Where is he?”  
  
    “Last I saw, he was on the walls, talking about the fort with the other history dorks. They are adorable.”  
  
    “Who’s a dork?”  
  
    “Danse and Hancock,” Ruby giggled. “Danse is so excited about the fort he was actually talking to Hancock about it.”  
  
    “I noticed he’s being slightly less terrible to Hancock.”  
  
    “Maybe my lecturing him when he’s an ass is finally getting through to him, or maybe he’s just sick of me giving Hancock ‘ _thank you for not stabbing Danse_ ’ hugs when he’s an ass.”  
  
    “Ah, You might want to be careful,” Piper said, looking like she had come to a sudden realization. “Hancock’s got a reputation.”  
  
    “For stabbing people? Yah, I know.”  
  
    “No. Well yes, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I mean I don’t want to see you get hurt, Blue. He’s a notorious womanizer.”  
  
    “Miss Wright, that’s a bit misleading,” came Hancock’s voice from the doorway. He smirked. “I’ve also slept with a lot of men.”  
  
    Ruby laughed.


End file.
